14 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Inflorescence mostly cymose, flattish on surface and roundish in 

 outline : sometimes racemose or paniculate. Fig. i (S. lineare) 

 shows a very characteristic and common type, formed of three dicho- 



FiG. I. — Inflorescence of S. lineare, from above. 



tomous branches with a flower in the primary and secondary forks, 

 and a bract subtending each flower. 



Sepals regular in European and most Asiatic species, often markedly 

 irregular in Chinese and Mexican plants. 



Petals very small and inconspicuous (some Rhodiolas), or relatively 

 large and mostly brightly coloured, patent or seldom erect, entire 

 or seldom fringed. 



Stamens normally lo ; 5 in a few species, most of which have no 

 near relationship to each other. 



Carpels erect or stellate ; seeds borne in a row along the inner face 

 of the carpel, very seldom (e.g. S. Celiae) in a bunch near the base of 

 the carpel. 



Hybrids. 



Hybrids are rare in the genus. A notable exception occurs in 

 the case of S. TeUphium and its near ally S. maximum, which cross 

 freely in the wild state and in the garden. Otherwise only a very 

 few hybrids are known. 



S. altissimum X reflexum = S. luteolum Chaboisseau (France). 

 S. acre X sexangulare = S. Fiireri K. Wein (Harz Mountains). 

 5. annuum X sexangulare ==■ S. erraticum Briigg. (Switzerland). 

 5. annuum X alpestre = S. engadinense Briigg. (Switzerland). 

 S. atratum X annuum = S. Derbezii Petitmengin (Maritime Alps). 

 S. Aizoon X kamtschaticum. (Wisley, where it was received from a 



garden as S. kamtschaticum. Also seen at Cambridge.) 

 S. Telephium X maximum. (Frequent in gardens where the two 



species are grown.) 



Owing no doubt to the fact that the genus is not a popular one 

 among plant-fanciers, we have escaped so far from the production 

 of endless uninteresting artificial hybrids, such as now confuse the 

 allied genus Saxifraga. 



